Nothing to say, yet
Transcription
In today's Daily Devotion, we read from John 6 about Jesus feeding the 5,000. After the miracle, the people wanted to make him king, but Jesus knew his kingdom was not of this world and withdrew. The temptation to rule the kingdoms of the world was one of the temptations Jesus faced. Luke tells us that after the devil tempted Jesus, he left him until another opportune time. John is the only gospel writer who mentions that Jesus was aware of the people's desire to make him king. Jesus had already thought about and prayed about this temptation, so he knew what to do. Spending time in prayer and staying connected to the Holy Spirit helps us better prepare for temptations and challenges in our daily lives. The personal worship option is a prayer song by Clara Scott that asks God to open our eyes, ears, and mind to truth and guidance. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for January 6, 2024. Today, we will be reading from John 6, verses 12-15. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world. Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. Matthew and Luke are the gospel writers who gave us some of the details of the temptations Jesus dealt with right after he was baptized and before he began his time with his disciples. One of those temptations was an offer to rule the kingdoms of the world. I can understand why that must have been tempting. After all, if he was to be the king of kings and lord of lords, one might think it logical that he would be the ruler of all the world. But in that time of wrestling with his temptations, he realized that his kingdom was not of this world. Luke is the one who tells us that when the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. I then note that John is the only gospel writer who gives us a detail at the end of the scene where Jesus feeds the 5,000 plus. In verse 15, we read of his awareness that the people wanted to make him king, so he went away by himself. He had already thought about, prayed about, and engaged that temptation, so when it confronted him in a real life situation, he was ready and knew what to do. Leave. When you and I spend time in prayer and keep an open connection with the Holy Spirit, we all will be better prepared to deal with temptations and other situations that arise in our daily life. Maybe the simplest way to put it is this. If you don't prepare, don't expect to be prepared. Today's personal worship option. I am reminded of a prayer song written by Clara Scott in 1895 that I offer again for you to consider praying today. Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me. Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Open my ears that I may hear voices of truth, thou sendest clear. And while the wave notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear. Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my mind, illumine me, Spirit divine.
